Christopher J. LaFleur

Christopher J. LaFleur is vice chairman at J.P. Morgan Securities Japan Co, Ltd. Mr. LaFleur began his career with the U.S. Foreign Service in 1973. The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo was among his earliest diplomatic postings, along with Paris, Sapporo, and the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. He also served as director of the Office of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia at the Department of State. From 1993-1997, Mr. LaFleur served as deputy director of the American Institute in Taiwan. He returned to the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo from 1997-2001 as minister and deputy chief of mission. From 2001-2003 he served as principal deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs. He later headed the State Department team in talks on the future of U.S. alliances with Japan and the Republic of Korea. From 2004-2007, Mr. LaFleur was U.S. ambassador to Malaysia.

Mr. LaFleur graduated from Oberlin College and studied at the Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University.